


Perception

by KillTheNoise



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hospital, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Armin knows everything, Eren is a cocky but oblivious little shit, F/F, Levi secretly likes it, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2015-09-02
Packaged: 2018-04-18 16:34:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4712834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillTheNoise/pseuds/KillTheNoise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A modern AU where Levi is Mikasa's patient, but that doesn't keep Eren from taking an interest in him.<br/>They say good things never come easy. But they also say that things do sometimes fix on their own, so technically there's no problem. Technically.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perception

The first year as a medical intern at Sacred Heart Hospital had Eren feeling all jittery.

Maybe it was the fact that he wasn’t a student anymore, so he didn’t have any excuses to fall back on if he screwed up. He was a big boy now, an adult, despite the video game collection he’d proudly tell everyone about. Now he had responsibilities, people entrusted him with their _lives_.

How someone like him managed to get a place in one of the most respected hospitals in the country felt surreal, but to everyone else it was common sense. Dr. Grisha Yeager was the chief of medicine at the Sacred Heart Hospital and Eren felt like he was constantly in his shadow. Never mind all those sleepless nights in which he studied like a mad man, or all those times he felt he was sinking when everyone else was succeeding.

In spite of that, Eren didn’t want to fail.

Not when his sister Mikasa was about to start her first year as a surgical intern. Not when Armin started as nurse. Not when he could see the excitement in their eyes. Not when his father, happy to see Mikasa and him following his footsteps, patted Eren’s back on his first day.

Eren was on his way to becoming a doctor and he absolutely didn’t want to screw things up.

❖

It’s been more than a year and Eren felt comfortable enough to use the on-call room as his getaway. Sometimes he’d play games or watch a movie on his phone, sometimes he’d just sleep, sometimes he’d drag Armin with him for the sake of it. It was his unofficial break whenever he felt he needed one.

And he felt he needed them fairly often.

He also met quite a few people and even bonded with some too since, with a few exceptions, everyone was generally nice. However, he was positive that him getting through his first year was all because he had Armin and Mikasa by his side.

❖

Everything was slowly but surely falling into its rightful place.

Or so Eren thought.

Eren also found out that the on-call room wasn’t only his favorite place to cool off as he previously thought. That was when he opened the door of the small room and was greeted by two half naked girls kissing hungrily. The kiss was broken as the blonde girl yelled in surprise. The brown haired girl looked at Eren with a scowl on her face.

“Get the hell out Yaeger!” she snarled at him before Eren had the chance to open his mouth.

Needless to say, Eren wasn’t back the next day. Or the day after.

He missed the on-call room. What he didn’t miss was seeing Krista and Ymir almost on a daily basis and feeling embarrassed every time he did. He seemed to be the only one though.

He wondered how that was even possible.

❖

Eren liked to think he was no longer the nervous mess he was on his first day.

He liked to think he became wiser, that he had an air of confidence around him whenever he talked to his patients. After all, he walked along the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital so many times he felt like he was visiting an old friend every single day he came in.

Eren was heading towards the nurses' station to pick up the clipboard that contained important details about his next patient. Once he reached his destination, he was greeted by blue eyes happily staring back at him and a smile that forced him to offer one of his own, despite the fact that he was exhausted.

“Hey Armin,” Eren greeted, albeit lazily, relieved to finally being able to enjoy the company of his best friend. He took his usual place which was on the counter, near Armin, and saw him contemplating whether to scold him or not for doing so. For some reason, Armin decided against it. Whether he looked even more tired than he thought he did or Armin felt excessively kinder compared to the usual, Eren didn’t know.

“Tough day?” Armin asked sympathetically, making Eren fight the urge to scoff, but ultimately failing.

“’Tough’ doesn’t even begin describe it. It’s madness out there!” When the holiday season came the hospital was always busier than usual, much to Eren’s dismay.

“Can I call in sick tomorrow?”

“Only if you call in sick for me too.” Despite the evident humor in Armin’s tone, fatigue was also present and Eren took a moment to look at his best friend, noting the faint dark circles under his eyes. Being the head nurse of the hospital wasn’t an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. Even accomplishing this in such a short time spawn should have been impossible.

They chitchatted for a while before Eren got what he came for. He took the clipboard form Armin’s hand and before his eyes left the paper, a gasp escaped his lips. Armin looked at him questioningly before Eren told him about the sixteen-year-old he was about to see, that had third degree burns on half of his body. He ended up seeing his patient faster than he intended, as he had a sudden but radical change of mood. That was what he hated about himself sometimes.

Even after three years, everything could influence his state of mind.

❖

“Wait, who is he and why didn’t I hear of him before?”

“Why would you even hear about him Eren? He needs surgery, so he’s got nothing to do with you.”

Eren fell silent.

“Eren, are you pouting?”

A few seconds passed, but Eren couldn’t keep silent anymore under the stare of his friends.

“I am _not_.”

One would assume that the way Eren pressed his lips together at Mikasa’s answer resembled a pout, but Eren knew better. His sister smiled a little at Eren’s reaction, which further deepened the frown on his face. _Me pouting, that’s just stupid Armin._

“He came in three days ago, Eren.” Armin clarified, amused by his reaction, though he did his best to hide it. Eren saw right through him. “But half the staff knows about him already.”

_That’s the reason I asked to begin with!_

Eren was about to voice his thoughts, but saw Krista making her way towards them.

“I changed Braun’s IV,” she said, to which Armin nodded in acknowledgement. “What are you guys talking about?” Krista questioned, placing one arm on the counter, seeing that nobody has resumed their conversation yet.

“ _They_ are talking about my patient.” Mikasa replied coolly and Eren could immediately see the instant change in Krista’s demeanor. That was the last drop. He threw his hands in the air in exasperation and instantly, all eyes were on him.

“Can someone tell me what the hell is going on?” Frustration was clear in his tone and the three exchanged a look before Armin spoke.

“His name is Levi Ackerman.”

Nothing followed.

Eren felt like he was about to pop a vein.

“ _And?_ ” Eren hissed, at wits’ end. “Armin you’re killing me here. What’s so special about him that-‘’

“Well Eren, I’m sure he’s seen more nurses in these three days than the patients in this ward combined.” Krista interrupted, to which Eren raised one of his eyebrows since the statement couldn’t possibly be true, but it piqued Eren’s interest anyway. “I know the second I stepped foot in the room I wanted to get out.”

“Wait, you saw him?” Armin questioned, surprise clear in his tone, to which Krista nodded.

“Yes, yesterday. I can’t exactly pinpoint what it is about him, but I think it’s this... intimidating aura. And the way he looks at you, you can’t see any emotion on his face whatsoever. If you’re not put off by that, he’s extremely blunt about everything. I’ve never seen someone like him before.“

All that time Krista described this intimidating, frightening figure, but for some reason Eren’s first reaction was to wonder if what he heard was true to begin with. What if he wasn’t how Krista said he was?

_People perceive things differently._

Maybe he wasn’t as terrifying as Krista said he was.

Maybe he’ll go meet this Levi Ackerman and see for himself.

The conversation dragged on and just as Mikasa’s face betrayed just how uninterested she became with the topic, Eren put an end to it.

“I want to go see him.”

Krista stared at him like he told her he could transform in a ten feet tall giant.

“And why do you want to do that Eren? He’s got nothing to do with you.” The déjà vu Eren got from Mikasa’s words hit him right in the face, but she raised a good point. It wasn’t like Eren had free time on his hands. He couldn’t pinpoint the last time he went to the on-call room to kill some time.

“I just want to go and see him myself.” Eren answered curtly. After similar questions that met identical answers from Eren, Mikasa ended up promising that the next time she had to check on Levi, she’ll take him with.

Eren felt accomplishment go through him.

❖

Mikasa opened the door and was the first to greet him.

“Hello Levi, how are you today?”

Eren gave his sister a weird look, as he couldn’t understand why she called Levi by his first name, but his confusion over such a trivial matter quickly vanished when he entered the room and his eyes landed on the man lying on the bed in front of him.

To say that he was taken aback was an understatement.

Judging from Krista’s words he expected to see Capitan America and his nicely colored shield but instead, he was greeted by a man that looked fairly ordinary, neither frail nor excessively muscular. What he didn’t expect was to find out that Levi had an undercut, and to conclude that it looked good on him. Additionally, he noted that Levi’s face seemed to be possessed by a permanent scowl that made Eren have the strangest thought this week.

_I want to reach out and smooth it._

That thought alone caused him to frown too.

“I’m just fine and dandy.” Levi’s tone dripping with sarcasm snapped Eren from his thoughts. He listened closely as Levi talked with Mikasa about details concerning the surgery that was supposed to make walking possible for him again, his eyes never leaving Levi.

“Who is this kid?” Levi finally asked, looking at Eren from head to toe. As Levi’s eyes scanned him, Eren wondered why he suddenly felt like he was about to be ordered to run 30 laps around the hospital.

Nevertheless, his eyes held Levi’s gaze.

“His name is Eren Yeager and he’s a-“

“Nurse!”

In all honesty, one could count how many times Mikasa jumped in surprise using the fingers of one hand. But hearing Eren scream so suddenly, she couldn’t help but flinch. Then her brain registered what Eren said and her eyes widened, but before she could speak Eren intertwined.

“I’m Eren Yeager and I’ve been working here as a nurse for three years now. Pleasure to meet you.” Eren finished, smiling in such a way he didn’t know he could. Maybe it was the knowledge that he was lying through his teeth, or maybe it was because of Mikasa’s stare he felt digging holes in his back. She hadn’t said anything and that could only mean one thing.

_For now Mikasa went with it. Thank God._

Levi didn’t say anything in return. Instead, his eyes narrowed and for a moment, Eren had to consider the thought of Levi somehow knowing that he lied in his face. Why did he say he was nurse, again? On a whim? No, that wasn’t right.

_Because I want to see him again._

And he had no reason to see Levi again if he was a resident.

“Oh, another nurse,” Levi suddenly looked very bored. “Don’t expect me to memorize your name since that’s all I did these days, see a bunch of fucking nurses.” Levi’s nonchalant tone sounded almost like a tease to Eren’s ears.

“You’d better remember my name because I am going to see you on a daily basis until your surgery.”

He found the look that Levi gave him funny and if he was anywhere else, Eren would have even burst out laughing.

“ _Nurse_ , can I talk with you for a second?” Mikasa broke their exchange. Eren knew what was going to happen to him the second he stepped outside of the room so, naturally, he did his best to delay the inevitable.

“Yes, talk.”

It was subtitle, but Eren saw Mikasa’s jaw clenching at his words.

“Outside.” Mikasa’s patience was wearing thin.

“Of course, but before I go,” Eren turned to look at Levi and thought he saw a glint of curiosity in his eyes, but it was quickly gone and Eren wondered if it was there to begin with. A small smile made its way on his lips. “Is there anything you need, sir?”

“Are you trying to make me feel old, brat?” Levi’s short answer followed, to which Eren immediately shook his head.

“ I-I was only trying to be respectful.”

“Because you’re such a polite little shit.”

Eren frowned because his first instinct was to nod, but that would mean he also agreed with the fact that he was ‘a little shit’. Were half-nods even a thing?

“Levi is fine.” Levi put a stop to his thinking process and Eren was happy he did so, because he was unsure where he was going with it.

He uttered Levi’s name, liking how it rolled off his tongue.

“Eren...” Mikasa warned, impatiently tapping her foot. As Eren looked at her, he saw the cracks in her usually perfect blank stare that betrayed her frustration. A rare sight bestowed upon him, but Eren decided to push his luck some more.

“Is there anything you need, Lev-"

Before he even had a chance to finish his sentence Eren was dragged out of the room, secretly blaming the boxing Mikasa did for her almost inhuman strength and probably leaving a puzzled Levi behind. The door was slammed shut.

Once outside, Eren couldn’t help but take a deep breath. He faced Mikasa.

_Well, this is going to be fun._

❖

Eren sometimes laid in his bed and started thinking about his actions throughout the day, instead of trying to fall asleep. However, this time, something told him he was going to think about a lot more than just a single day.

He knew he sometimes acted without thinking. When he promised Levi that he’ll see him every day, Eren might’ve acted rather impulsively. Armin told him that. Mikasa _relentlessly_ told him that. Him showing up every single day was impossible, his schedule as a resident just didn’t permit it.

Still, Eren showed as frequently as he could –which was pretty damn frequent– and after he was done with the implications of being a ‘nurse’, Levi expected to be left alone. Levi’s clue should’ve been Eren grabbing a chair and placing it next to his bed.

“What are you doing?” Levi asked, perplexed.

“I’m keeping you company.”

A small pause.

“Why?”

“Because I want to.”

“And why do you want to keep me company?”

“Because I can."

Levi’s usual frown deepened, if that was even possible. It seemed like the stare was supposed to intimidate him and Eren would be lying if he said he felt 100% at ease. So, he averted his gaze and looked out the window instead.

At first Levi didn’t mind him, because he must've thought that Eren would go away on his own if he just ignored him.

Awkward silences would make their presence known every now and then. Eren hated them with his entire being, so he’d always break them as quickly as it was humanly possible. It wasn’t like Levi wanted to talk about himself, so it was Eren’s job to keep the conversation going. At first he was careful, since he didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of the older man.

After a while, Eren didn’t have to search his head for topics too much, since random things started coming to him naturally. Strangely enough, he found out it wasn’t _that_ hard to talk to Levi, when he wasn’t fixing him with one of the coldest looks he’s ever seen, that was.

Eren considered it a victory every time he and Levi had a conversation, even if they were about the most irrelevant things one could think of.

Those were the days.

There were also days when Levi would try to get rid of him in various ways, such as pointing out the many responsibilities Eren must have as nurse and the fact that it was stupid to waste his time by talking to him.

“Do you really have nothing else to do, brat?” Levi asked Eren for the nth time and he paid attention to the tone each time, but to him, Levi didn’t seem like he really wanted him to leave.

Maybe he was really dense.

But in reply, Eren shook his head and gave Levi a small smile. “Actually you’re lucky because today I can stay even longer than I usually do.” he answered back once.

“Lovely.” Eren was 90% sure Levi was sarcastic. That meant there was a 10% chance Levi actually enjoyed his company.

He’ll take it.

However, because Levi wasn’t exactly talkative –whether it was because he didn’t particularly like Eren or it was his way of being didn’t really matter– Eren didn’t know if he bore Levi or said something he wasn’t supposed to.

Due to this uncertainty, he didn’t touch the subject of Levi’s personal matters with a ten foot pole, even though he was fairly certain that by now, Levi knew many things about Eren. The thought bothered him. He certainly wanted to, but he was afraid to shatter whatever it was that they had.

The majority of things Eren knew about Levi, he had to deduce or speculate.

He knew Levi liked tea when Eren expressed his love for coffee and Levi accused him of being just a ‘shitty brat’ when in reality, Eren was the only one in the room that knew to appreciate a warm cup of coffee in the morning.

“You know that coffee was proved to reduce the incidence of dementia, or Alzheimer’s, or even type two diabetes, right?” Eren said, placing one leg on top of the other as he sat on the chair and couldn’t help but curve the corners of his lips upwards.

He knew he got him at _incidence_.

Levi raised one of his eyebrows, but was quick to reply. “Tea reduces the risks of cancer.”

Needless to say, that discussion led nowhere.

Speaking of which, he knew Levi held his cup of tea in a weird way because he saw him do it. Eren would never admit to it, but he once tried drinking the same way Levi did. He might have spilled his coffee. The world may never know.

He knew Levi liked things to be clean. The fact that he wanted his bed sheets changed rather frequently, or the weird look Levi gave him when Eren sneezed once, then proceeded to rub his hands on his scrub pants were important clues.

He obviously knew Levi was a man of few words.

He also knew Levi’s age, his late mother’s name and the fact that he had no history of disease, but he’d never ever admit to intentionally looking through his file nor to the fact that he had to nag Mikasa for days to get it.

As Eren switched sides, his eyelids finally heavy with sleep, he realized there weren’t many things he knew about Levi. He suddenly became frustrated, but then he remembered the amount of time he had Levi in his life and his frustration diminished.

By like 4%.

❖

Something strange started taking its toll on Eren.

The regularity the first rays of sunshine invaded his room and found an awake Eren was simply astonishing. He couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment he started wondering things about a certain someone so rigorously, nor when the night became its confidant, but it was all the same to him. By now it was obvious to him that he liked being with Levi because it felt _right_ , so he might as well admit it.

To himself that was.

But what did Levi think of _him_?

Did Levi like to spend time with him as Eren did? What did Levi do all day? Did he get any visitors, what about his friends? The more Eren thought about it, ‘four eyes’ and ‘eyebrows’ popped into his mind and that told him nothing.

There was no way Eren was asking Levi what he thought of him, so he had to settle for the next best thing.

“Armin, are Levi and I friends?” Eren asked, poking his sandwich one last time before deciding he wasn’t hungry anymore. He wasn’t prepared for his best friend to choke on his Coke and it took some serious willpower not to start laughing.

“Do give me a warning next time.” Armin replied once his breath settled, earning a nod from Eren. Armin eyed him carefully. “Well, you and I are friends. Does that answer your question?”

Eren frowned for a few seconds, before he started chuckling.

“You know I still have a picture on my phone of you wearing one of those flower-hair-band-things, right?” Right as Eren finished a blush made its way on Armin’s face.

“That was one time Eren, one time. And _you_ convinced me!” By now Eren couldn’t help but laugh and Armin couldn’t help but become even more frustrated because of it.

“I thought you deleted it...” Armin mumbled, begrudgingly bringing one French fry to his mouth, but making no attempt to convince Eren to get rid of the picture, probably knowing there was no chance Eren would delete it if he didn’t do it already.

Most of their lunch was spent in silence after that, as Eren somewhere along the line started thinking about Levi and the ridiculous idea of him wearing a flower band. But before they moved to stand up, Eren heard Armin’s voice pulling him out of his thoughts.

“You know, I wasn’t going to say anything and let you figure things out by yourself, but the face you’re making right now... I just can’t leave you on your own.”

Eren’s head immediately tilted to look at Armin, both eyebrows raised. He was greeted with a knowing grin.

“You like him.”

To Eren, it was like someone hit him in the face with a chair.

“I like him.” Eren repeated incredulously and saw Armin’s grin widening even more.

“Levi.” He felt the need to clarify. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around the concept.

Mere seconds that passed in silence felt like hours to him.

“Armin, just what the-“

“Say what you wish Eren, but some days you’re spending more time with him than Mikasa or me.” Armin stated, just as easily as one would talk about the weather. Eren wanted to protest, but Armin immediately took over. “You practically blackmailed Mikasa into going along with you being a nurse, every free moment you get you spend it with him, you’re talking about him almost every chance you get-’’

“See, now you’re just talking out of your ass.” Eren replied, his voice didn’t waver.

“Oh yeah? Yesterday when Krista was yet again talking about how scary Levi was, you told her he’s not as bad if you get to know him. You really did seem like you knew what you were saying.”

Eren opened his mouth, then shut it and that process repeated itself one more time after that. He did tell Krista that and he got pretty pissed off about it too.

Eventually, although later than usual, they left the hospital cafeteria to get back to work.

“Krista told me she supports it, you know.’’

“Shut the hell up Armin.”

❖

What was different was the fact that the seed had been planted in Eren’s mind.

Now, every time Eren managed to make Levi smile or God forbid even chuckle at something he said, his heart did this strange thing where it would randomly skip a beat. Sometimes he found himself clinging to every word Levi uttered and he had to slap himself in order to snap out of it. Mentally, of course.

Eren blamed it all on Armin, that much was a given.

_Frikin’ Armin._

Making Eren’s life all difficult. He started wishing he could go back in time when he saw Levi for the first time.

Back then, the boundaries were clear.

❖

Eren always had a hard time wrapping his head around the notion of time.

As he was talking with Armin and Mikasa, the fact that there were only two days left until Levi’s surgery hit him right between the eyes. Then, he felt his stomach twist uncomfortably at the thought of Levi leaving the hospital and thus, him behind. Mikasa told him if he was bothered by this fact, all he had to do was act. After a few well-deserved teases, Armin simply told him to’ grow a pair’ and that rendered Eren speechless because he’d never heard Armin say something like that to him before.

Eren was frustrated because they were making it seem like such an easy task. And no, he didn’t need to ‘grow a pair’, he was perfectly fine the way he was. He was going to give Armin a piece of him mind, that was certain.

That being said, one day before Levi’s surgery, Eren found himself staring for a few moments at the door separating them before twisting the doorknob and entering the room. He greeted Levi like he usually did and took his usual seat next to him, but he was feeling rather stiff. On top of it all, Levi eyed him weirdly the moment he sat down and that didn’t make Eren any less nervous. His conversational skills weren’t as sharp as they usually were either so, he ended up assuring Levi about his surgery so many times that Levi threatened to throw him out of the room. Well, that topic was a no-go now.

At the present moment Levi was looking through out the window, as he seemed to have found something out there oddly entertaining and Eren was looking at Levi, cursing internally because Levi was right next to him and he couldn’t get his thoughts across.

_Just open your mouth and say it, you’re not a kid anymore._

That's right Goddammit, Eren was an adult. A _responsible_ adult. He shouldn’t have any issues with matters like this!

“Levi.” Eren said, his voice unwavering to his own ears. He thought he had it, but gray eyes now stared at him and despite himself, Eren’s heart was off and running again. “Y-Your surgery is tomorrow and you’ll soon leave after that, so I...”

_That’s right, go on._

“I think we should watch a movie.”

_You had one job._

“You want to watch a movie,” Levi repeated in disbelief after a pregnant silence and Eren gave the fiercest nod he could muster. “Because my surgery is tomorrow.” Levi furrowed his eyebrows. “Are you sure I got this right Eren?”

Eren was very, very stubborn. That’s why they did end up starting to watch a movie and Eren did beat himself up for the first fifteen minutes of it. But when Levi suddenly muted the movie, Eren had no choice but to look at him. He saw a hint of frustration instead of Levi usual expressionless stare and that took him aback a little.

“Okay, brat, just spill it out.”

Eren’s first reaction was to play dumb, but Levi immediately called him out on it. Then he subconsciously pressed his lips together and a frustrated sigh escaped Levi's lips. “Eren, I’m not going to repeat myself.” There was finality in his voice and Eren paused. He might as well say it. What was there to lose?

His dignity. His _pride_. He swallowed, his throat suddenly dry.

_Here goes nothing._

“Levi, I like you. Please go out with me.” Surprisingly enough, his voice was rather steady.

Eren will have to pat himself on the back later for it was one of the most incredible confessions of all time, he knew. In return, he expected many things, rejection being the first thing that came to mind. That would’ve made more sense compared to what Levi said to him next.

“Took you long enough Eren. I’m not getting any younger, you know.”

Eren felt his eyes widen.

“Wait what?”

His mind found it hard to form coherent thoughts as he was pulled towards Levi, by a hand that roughly yanked his collar. Their lips met and Eren let out a soft sound of surprise, but when his brain got over the initial astonishment, the kiss felt like the most natural thing in the world. Levi kissed him passionately, experience showing, and Eren held him close, head fuzzy and light. He felt a little proud at the small moan he got from Levi when he passed his fingers through his hair and gave a small tug and he wondered the different methods he could use to get this reaction again.

Unfortunately, they were interrupted by a nurse that told Eren some parents wanted to ‘see Dr. Yeager’. After that, the nurse whose name was Thomas –Eren had to intensely search his head for the piece of information– looked uncomfortable. He probably had every right to be, judging by the daggers a flustered Eren sent with his look at him.

“I’m just going to... Yeah.”

Thomas left as fast as he came in.

Eren felt the urge to call Thomas some names his mom wouldn’t feel proud to hear his son utter for the interruption, but his eyes widened in horror a second after, as he remembered how Thomas had called him.

 _Dr._ Yeager.

Eren couldn’t believe it. As far as Eren was concerned, it was better if Thomas literally stabbed him in the back instead.

Head clear of any previous fuzzy feelings, he braced himself and dared to look in Levi’s direction, only to face one of his usual expressions. “Well, what are you waiting for brat? Go, you have work to do.”

Eren didn’t understand what was happening, but he tried to anyways. There were two possibilities. Levi looked far too calm to him so he was either hiding the fact that he was upset with Eren for lying, or he wasn’t upset at all because he knew from the beginning. And he knew by now Levi wasn’t the type of person to hide if something bothered him.

That was why it made no sense to him.

“Levi you... knew?” Eren’s voice sounded small and uncertain to his own ears. He was caught in this inner turmoil of his, but he was able to see a small curl at the corner of Levi’s mouth. He couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Everything you feel, your face displays it. You’re like an open book, Eren.”

If it was possible to die of embarrassment, Eren was certain he’d be dead. But then, his mind conjured another thought and he heard himself talking again, a smirk mirroring Levi's on his lips.

“If you knew, why didn’t you say anything?”

It was quiet again and Eren wanted to say he was patiently waiting for Levi’s answer, but he knew better. When he was convinced that answer wouldn’t come, he started leaving the room. Nevertheless, he heard Levi speak in the last possible moment.

“Maybe I...” He hesitated. Eren held his breath. “Maybe I liked having you there.”

❖

For Eren, it was one of those days nobody could ruin for you no matter how hard they tried.

Eren’s day wasn’t ruined when some kid puked on him and he had to run home and take a shower, nor when his dad gave him extra shifts to teach him that becoming a doctor wasn’t easy, nor when Mikasa pretty much forced him to attend the family dinner scheduled for the weekend and he _had_ to bring Levi with.

Eren’s day wasn’t ruined because Levi told him a few days ago that he was going to pick him up every time he got off work. To say that he was looking forward to it was an understatement.

Eren hurried and opened the door of the hospital’s main entrance. He didn’t have to look much until he saw a familiar figure standing by a black Ferrari that instantly made his knees feel weak, since he always had a thing for cars.

With a smile, he started approaching Levi. He saw Levi’s mouth open, probably to greet him, but Eren swept him off his feet before he could even say anything. He ignored the surprised gasp Levi gave before he brought their lips together. He couldn’t help but want Levi in his life forever, despite the fact not much time had passed since Levi’s successful surgery.

“Do that again and I will kill you.” Levi said to him when Eren placed him down, but the threat sounded empty to Eren’s ears.

“Have we gone out on a proper date yet, with expensive food and all that shit?” Levi asked him after five minutes of driving, making Eren frown. He searched his head, but found out that the second Levi recovered they’ve been busy doing... _other_ things, so the answer was negative. He shook his head in reply.

“Then, how about we eat at the restaurant close to your apartment tomorrow?”

Eren’s jaw nearly hit the car mat.

“You mean the literally most expensive restaurant I’ve heard of that requires you to sign a pact with the devil in order to even get in? That restaurant?”

“Yes Eren, _that_ restaurant.”

Eren was at a loss for words. He’d passed the gorgeous looking restaurant on his way to work numerous times and that wasn’t a place where ordinary people like him ate. But when Levi was discharged and they started regularly meeting outside of the hospital, Eren found out that Levi was far from ordinary. He’d never admit to the reaction he had when he stepped foot inside Levi’s apartment for the first time. It was similar to a little kid’s when he went to a museum and everything was twice as big as him.

The thought of Levi wanting to validate their relationship in some way made Eren have that familiar fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach, but sadly it was quickly drowned by other thoughts that took over.

Eren didn’t know a thing about ‘cutlery etiquette’. Levi always dressed smart, even when he didn’t particularly need to, but Eren had to think where exactly his suit dwelt in his closet.

 _I have a suit. Everyone has a suit._ He knew what he most certainly had. Many T-shirts.

“Eren, why do you look like you’re constipated?” He turned, only to find Levi already watching him. The car wasn’t moving anymore, as Eren saw from the corner of his eyes a red light.

“I don’t know to eat at a fancy restaurant!” Eren suddenly yelled in Levi’s face, prompting Levi to look at him like he was an escaped mental patient. “If I see more than one spoon or fork how am I supposed to know which one– “

“I knew you’d worry over stupid shit like that,” Levi said with a sigh, cutting Eren off. ”And that’s why I’m going to pick a more reserved table. Nobody will stare at us, so you can eat like you normally do.”

“Oh." Eren felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. “Well in that case, thanks Levi and I’d love to.” Eren resumed his usual tone as he relaxed in the car seat and Levi shook his head a little, probably wondering how Eren could switch so easily between animated and calm in less than three seconds.

“And how did you know I'd worry, if I may ask?” Eren questioned, the car speeding off in the distance.

He saw a light smirk making its way on Levi’s lips.

“Because you’re such a shitty brat, that’s why.”

It somehow made sense.


End file.
